LESLIE B.

LEE
PO Box 19900 Portland OR 97280
info@soulboxproject.org

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS
● Fifty years of professional artistic practice: twelve years as a graphic designer, 20
years as a ceramic sculptor, 19 years as a painter, 17 months as an artivist
● Leadership roles throughout career in associations, as a teacher, as a volunteer
coordinator
● Proven tenacity, problem-solving skills, willingness to take creative risks, financial
prudence and innate marketing skills

Soul Box Project - October 2017 to date

Founder and Director
I shifted from being a full-time painter to being an activist and nonprofit director when I
created The Soul Box Project after the Las Vegas shooting in 2017. I now spend my
time designing displays, speaking at events, schooling myself in gun-sense activism,
researching nonprofit development, creating online and collateral material, and
cultivating a social media presence for The Project.

Since those first 10 days when I created the brand, website and administrative
structure, the pace has not subsided. As of March 2019 we have collected 44,000+ Soul
Boxes from all over the U.S.. In January we displayed 3,000 Soul Boxes and another
larger exhibit is scheduled for April 2019. In February, more than 100 volunteers carried
36,000 Soul Boxes – one for every person killed by gunfire in the U.S. in 2018 – into
the Oregon State Capitol in a dramatic procession for a one-day exhibit. The Project is
partnering with national art organizations and local firearm safety initiatives at events
around the nation. The Fetzer Institute and the Oregon Community Fund granted the
Project $35,000 in start-up funds. Individuals have donated more than $20,000. Our
Box-making network is fanning out across the country – through faith communities,
activist groups and other community organizations. Our Portland workshop space is full
of people working on Soul Box panels. I manage a core team of five people and dozens
of part-time volunteers.

Studio Artist and Workshop Teacher - 2012 - October 2017

Following a move from southern Oregon back to Portland, I maintained a studio
practice, marketed my paintings and my husband’s ceramics (MeinersAndLee.com),
participated in local invitationals, had three gallery shows and offered “Give Yourself A
Day to Paint” group sessions in my studio once a month.
Hummingbird Studios and B&B - 1993 - 2011
During this time my husband and I built an adobe studio and passive solar straw-bale
home in southern Oregon where we established Hummingbird, an art workshop center,
gallery, and bed and breakfast. Our intention with this project was to showcase
sustainable building practices. Video tour. I designed the buildings, managed the
volunteers and sub-contractors, and was a laborer doing everything from brick laying to
electrical work to masonry stove building to laying tile and applying mud stucco.

1993-96 - Held adobe-making work parties. Over 200 people participated to make and
stockpile 6,000 thirty-pound adobe bricks used to construct a 2,400 sq. ft, building which
became our home and studios.
1997- 2004 - Constructed a 2,500 sq. ft. straw-bale home with volunteers and
sub-contractors while maintaining a studio practice making sculpture and paintings.
2004 - 2010 - Marketed Hummingbird Studios as a summer art workshop program with
prestigious internationally known ceramic artists and painters. My husband and I held
four to six workshops per summer. Over 200 students attended from all over the U.S.
and Canada. We concurrently ran a year-round B&B using the extra three rooms in our
straw-bale home.

See attached list of shows and earlier work experience.

1987 1997 2000 2010
Leslie (Baumgartner) Lee
DOB 1948

Education:
1970 BFA, Washington Univ., St. Louis, MO
1966 Honors Graduate, Wilson H.S. Portland, OR

Selected Exhibitions: (*indicates solo show)

2017 *The Intuitive Journey” Doll Gardner Gallery at WHUUF, Portland, OR
2017 *Out of That,This - RiverSea Gallery, Astoria, OR
2017 *Featured Artist, Central Frame and Gallery, Portland, OR
2017 *Metaphor to Magic - RiverSea Gallery, Astoria, OR
2015 AuNaturel- International Juried Exhibition, Art Center Gallery, Clatsop C.C., Astoria, OR
2015 * Golden Gallery, Beaverton, OR
2011 *Stonehenge Studios, Portland, OR
2007 *Hanson Howard Gallery, Ashland, OR
2004,5,6 Artists of the Applegate, Valley View Winery, Ruch, OR
2004 *Mary Lou Zeek Gallery, Salem, OR
2004 *Hansen Howard Gallery, Ashland, OR
2001 *Silver Creek Gallery, Silverton, OR
2000 & 2001 SOFA Exposition, represented by the Ferrin Gallery, Chicago, IL
1998 Hansen Howard Gallery, Ashland, OR
1996 Gallery at Salishan, Gleneden Beach, OR
1995 Feminist Visions in Clay Invitational Downey Museum of Art, Downey, CA
1998 & 1994 Featured Artist, Edgewood Orchards Galleries, Fish Creek, WI
1994 & 93*Leslie Lee, mixed media sculpture, pastel paintings, Gango Gallery, Portland, OR
1993 & 91 Associates Tea Party, American Craft Museum, Garth Clark curator, New York, NY
1993 San Angelo Ceramic National, Museum of Fine Arts, San Angelo, TX, Merit Award
1992 P.C. – Political Ceramics, Ferrin Gallery, Northampton, MA
1992 *Encore, Gango Gallery, Portland, OR
1991 *Women of Substance, Gango Gallery, Portland, OR
Ceramics Now, juried national, Downey Museum of Art, Downey, CA
*Small Craft Warnings, Gallery 500, Elkins Park, PA
Oregon Invitational, Linfield College, McMinnville, OR
1990 Leslie Lee & Dennis Meiners, Maveety Gallery at Salishan, Gleneden Beach, OR
Chicago Art Exposition, represented by the Ferrin Gallery, Chicago IL
Oregon Potters Association 10th Anniversary Show, Matthew Kangas juror,
Contemporary Crafts Gallery, Portland, OR
*Leslie Lee Ceramic Sculpture, Attic Gallery, Portland, OR
1989 & 92, 93 American Crafts Council Fair, San Francisco, CA
1989 *Fantasy Teapots, Fireworks Gallery, Seattle WA
1988 *Leslie Lee, Lawrence Gallery (Maveety) Gleneden Beach, OR
Clay and Canvas, Contemporary Crafts Gallery, Portland, OR
Annual Teapot Show, Carlyn Gallery, New York City, NY
*Clay Telling Stories, Attic Gallery, Portland, OR
1987 Tea & Fantasy, Alianza Gallery, Boston, MA
Oregon Biennial, regional juried, Portland Art Museum. Portland, OR
American Crafts Council Fair, Baltimore, MD
1986 Bennet Welsh/Leslie Lee, Attic Gallery, Portland, OR
1984 International Teaparty, Contemporary Crafts Gallery, Portland, OR
1984 -2000 Ceramic Showcase, Oregon Potter’s Association, Portland, OR

Continued Education:
2013 Week-long painting intensive with Mary Josephson, Melinda Thornes, Jeff Gunn, Arvey
Smith
2013 Week-long painting intensive with Jeff Gunn
2013 Studied drawing and painting with Mark Andres Portland Community College
2005 Three-day workshop with Phyllis Trowbridge at Hummingbird, Jacksonville, OR
2002 Week painting workshop with Phyllis Trowbridge Creative Arts Community Adult Arts
Program, accredited, Camp Menucha, Corbett, OR
1999 “About Face” week painting workshop with Barbara Black, as above
1993-94 Attended workshops including: B. Feves, P. Soldner, P. Lane, D. Polseno, R.
Neuenschwander, F. Boyden, J. Lind, C Pearson, D. Reitz, M. Levine, H. Sadow, W. Daley, C.
Federighi, A. Takamori, R. Gault
1990 Narrative Sculpture with Adrian Arleo, Pacific NW College of Art, Portland, OR
1986 Glaze and Color with Robin Hopper, Metchosin International Summer School for the Arts,
Metchosin, B.C. Canada
1981 Stone carving with Don Wilson, Haystack, Cannon Beach, OR
1980 Concrete Sculpture with Harold Blaze, Centrum, Port Townsend, WA
1979 – 82 Portland State University, Portland, OR Sculpture with Mishi Kasuge, Bronze Casting
with Jim Hansen, Ceramics with Ray Grimm

Related Experience:
2017 Taught “Give Yourself a Day to Paint” sessions monthly in my studio
2015 Taught Handbuilding with Clay, Creative Arts Community Adult Arts Program, accredited,
Camp Menucha, Corbett, OR
2010 Taught “Room Temperature Surface Treatments for Ceramics” Metchosin International
Summer School for the Arts, Metchosin, B.C. Canada
2004- 2010 Established “Hummingbird” Workshop Center with Dennis Meiners. Taught
sculpture and hosted workshops with Josh DeWeese, Beth Cavner Stichter, Meira Mathison,
Ron Roy, Patrick Horsley, Victoria Christen, Phyllis Trowbridge, Paul Bennett, Jim Koudelka,
Richey Bellinger, Jim Robinson, Virginia Cartwright
2001 Taught weekly ceramics classes with Dennis Meiners in our studio
2000 Workshop with Dennis Meiners, Southern Oregon University, Ashland, OR
2000 & 1993 Taught The Figure in Clay – Capturing the Gesture, Oregon College of Art and
Craft, Portland, OR
1997- 2004 Designed and built “Hummingbird,” our adobe studio and straw-bale house
1993 Taught workshop at Quimper Arts Association, Pt. Townsend, WA
1992 Lecture and Demonstrations, ARTBEAT, Portland Community College, Portland, OR
1990 Taught Handbuilding/Raku workshop, Chemeketa Community College, Salem, OR
1991 & 95, 96 Taught Handbuilding with Clay, Creative Arts Community Adult Arts Program,
accredited, Camp Menucha, Corbett, OR
1987 -90 Oregon Potters Association Board Member, Secretary 1987, President, 1990
1981- 85 Continued branding and package design for Stash Tea Co., managed marketing for
company’s mail order business
1979- 81 Associate Graphic designer, Milpacher Designs. Portland, OR
Awards and Collections:
2014 Personal Collection (painting): Dan Weiden, founder Weiden and Kennedy Advertising
2005 Personal Collection (painting): Steven Spence, Vice-Chair, Portland Art Museum
1993 Merit Award, Monarch Tile Ceramic National, San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, San
Angelo, TX
1992 & 93 Best of Show Third Place, Oregon Potters Association Ceramic Showcase
1991 Kaiser Permanente Collection, Irvine, CA
1989 Best Non-Functional Award, Oregon Potters Association Ceramic Showcase
1987 Personal Collection: Sonny and Gloria Kamm, international collectors
1986 Metro Arts Commission Collection, Portland, OR
1984 Celestial Seasonings Inc., Boulder, CO

Publications:
2007 “Renowned Artists Travel the Applegate Trail” Distinctly Northwest magazine, article &
photo
2006 “Making Workshops Work,” Ceramics Monthly workshop supplement, cover photo, 3 page
article with photos
2004 “Oregon Art Beat” segment, Oregon Public Broadcasting- ongoing
2002 “On Our Cover” Mail Tribune, W3 magazine, Medford OR, cover photo and article
2000 Teapots Transformed by Leslie Ferrin, Guild Publishing, full-page photo
“Fabulous Figures,” Oregon Home magazine, article and photo
1998 The Best of New Ceramics, Hand Books Inc., full-page photo
1994 “Leslie Lee - A Portfolio,” Ceramics Monthly magazine, cover photo, 8-page article, photos
1993 “8th Annual San Angelo National,” Ceramics Monthly, photo
1993 Focus magazine, Oregon Public Broadcasting, cover photo and article
1992 Ceramics Monthly poster for NCECA (National Conference for Education in Ceramic Arts),
photo
1991 “Oregon Potters Challenge Zoning” by Leslie Lee, The Crafts Report, article
“Oregon Potters Today,” Ceramics Monthly, photo
1990 “OPA molds Network of Success,” The Business Journal, Portland, OR, article and photo
1989 & 90 “News and Retrospect,” Ceramics Monthly, article and photo
1988 AMACO Teapot Calendar
1987 “A Pivotal Experience,” Ceramics Monthly, article and photos